Flotation of ores



.5 be capable of successful operations upon liatentcd June 8, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

H RRY W. Mensa, on STANFORD UNIVERSITY, CALIFORNIA, AssIeNon To' comrAeNm DU nonno. or sAN FRANCISCO, cALIFonNIA, A CORPORATION or FRANCE.

FLOTATION 0F ORES.

Ho Drawing.

This invention relates to the recovery of copper and other metals from ores by the flotation process and the main object of the invention is to provide a process which will certain ores with high recovery and low cost. My process consists essentially in subjecting the ore to flotation operation in'the presence of a flotation agent consisting of a xanthate of an alkali metal together with an alkali metal chloride. for example sodium chloride, or material containing sodium chloride. such as sea water.

l have applied my invention successfully to the recovery of copper from copper ores containing about 4% copper mainly in the form of sulphides, but with about .1 to'.4% of oxides and with a gangue consisting inainly of a clay-like mass. The sulphide constituent of the ore comprises chalcocite, bornite, and covellite, and in addition to the sulphide and oxide content, there is a little native copper present. The ore in question is produced from the below named mines of the Compagnie du Boleoin Baja California,

Mexico, and is not amenable to flotation by the use of the usual flotation agents, or by the use of sodium or potassium xanthate without the use of sodium chloride.

in carrying out my process the ore is first crushed and ground to bring it to a suitable state of division, say 80 mesh, or finer, and to the pulp containing the finely ground ore and water is added a flotation agent consisting of about 0.2 to 0.4% of sodium or potassium xanthate together with a suitable amount of sodium chloride. amount may be obtained by using sea water as a liquid which is ground with the ore to form the pulp but in any case it is desirable to have from 2% to 4% of sodium chloride present in the water of the pulp during the flotation operation, and 1n case sea water is not available this amount .of sodium chloride may be added to the water in Such suitable Application flled July 29, 1925. Serial No. 46,860.

scribed have given the following results:

Montado.

' Percentage recovers Percentage Cu in first copper. concentrator:

81. 2 Average 31. 3 Average Margarita.

Percentage recovery Percentage Cu in first of copper. concentrates.

88 0 Average 39.5 Average Santa Rita.

Percentage recovery Percentage Cu in first of copper. concentrates.

83.7 Average 34. 8 Average I have also applied my process successfully to flotation of a lead zinc ore, sodium xanthate in the presence of salt in solution enabling decided selective flotation of the lead sulphide from zinc sulphide. The proportions of xanthate and sodium chloride in these cases is substantially the same as in the flotation of ore from the mines of the abovenamed Compagnie du Boleo.

What I c aim:

1. The process of recovering metal from its ores which consists in subjecting the pulp containing the ore to a froth flotation operation in the presence of a flotation agent consisting of an alkali metal xanthate together with an alkali metal chloride.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 in which the flotation agent consists of an alkali 6 mgtal xanthate together with sodium chlo- 3. The process of recovering copper from its ores which consists in subjecting the pulp containing the ore and sea water together with an alkali metal xanthate to a froth flotation operation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th (la of June, 1925.

. HARRY MORSE. 

